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There are several different options available when building a greenhouse foundation (Juliana
GREENHOUSE KITS greenhouses even have a foundation already built for them. Information on them is listed
• Compare Kits below the prices for each greenhouse). There are a few things every foundation should
• Cross Country
• FlowerHouse provide:
• Hobby Gardener
• Juliana 1. It must be anchored to the ground (Wind gusts can move or turn over a
• Little Greenhouse
• Portable greenhouse because of its low weight to surface area ratio).
• Sundog 2. There must be a way for water to drain out of the greenhouse (If water doesn't
• Sunshine
drain, it will collect on the floor and become stagnant promoting algae, disease,
SUPPLIES and insect growth).
• Benches 3. Measures should be taken to prevent weeds and grass from growing in the
• Books
• Controls greenhouse floor (Greenhouses will provide optimum conditions for weeds to
• Deer Repellent grow along with other the plants you have. Weeds can harbor harmful insects
• Grow Lights
• Heaters
and diseases and should be
• Meters kept out of the greenhouse).
• Misting Systems 4. Foundations for glass covered greenhouses 12' x 16' or larger should have
• Plastic Coverings
• PVC Fittings cement footers that extend below the frostline.
• Season Extenders
• Ventilation Before you start any foundation, you should know the greenhouse's outside base dimensions:
• Watering
• Other Supplies ( Juliana greenhouse dimensions, Cross Country Greenhouses: Standard twinwall
dimensions, Triplewall dimensions, Lean-to dimensions, Cape Cod dimensions, Cottage
RESOURCE CENTER
• Greenhouse Guide dimensions).
• Supplies Guide
• Grow Light Guide
• Cold Frame Guide
Below are two of the most commonly built foundations that provide all of the features
• Foundation Guide mentioned above, wood and concrete.
• Heater Calculator
• Fan Calculator
• Area Calculator
• Ordering Policies
• Shipping Details Wood Foundation
• Order Tracking
• About Us
• Contact Us Building a foundation out of wood is simple and inexpensive making it an excellent option
for most home greenhouses. We recommend using naturally resistant woods, such as cedar,
redwood, or cypress. These woods contain substances that inhibit decay. Pressure-treated
wood is also available in most areas but contains copper and is corrosive to aluminum. When
using pressure-treated wood, a minimum 10 mil thick barrier should be placed between the
wood and aluminum frame. Common barrier materials include polyethylene, vinyl, and
plastic composite lumber.

The first step to building a greenhouse is constructing a foundation, but before you begin you
should have a level site prepared for your greenhouse. We recommend using 4" x 6" (4" x 4"
are acceptable for the smaller sizes) timbers for the foundation of a Sundog, Juliana, or Cross

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Country greenhouse. The wood can be cut to size with a standard hand or power saw once it
has been purchased.

Once you have cut the wood to fit the

greenhouse, lay the boards together on the
ground like you are going to set the greenhouse
on them (make sure you remove any rocks,
sticks or dirt clogs that keep the board from
laying flush on the ground). Set a level on top
of one of the boards (shown in picture at left).
The horizontal bubble should be in-between the
2 lines marked on the level. This should be
done for each board to ensure that the greenhouse base is level.

When the foundation has been leveled, it is time to secure the

timbers together with lag screws (shown in picture to the right).
The lag screw should be three or more inches longer than the
first board it is screwed through to insure a proper hold. Once
this has been done for each corner, we chose to lay our ground
cover (shown in the picture below) under the base and cut any
excess fabric around the edges. You can lay the ground cover
after completing the base, but we have found that this way does a
better job of keeping weeds out of the corners of the greenhouse.
Make sure you use a ground cover (also called weed barrier) that
is made for landscaping and not black plastic or a tarp. Ground
cover will allow water to drain through the fabric while keeping weeds from growing in your
greenhouse.

Now that the greenhouse

foundation has been built, it is
important to make sure your base is
square. To do this, use your tape
measure, and take two diagonal
measurements of the base (One
from the front left corner to the
back right corner and the other
from the front right corner to the
back left corner). The base needs to
be adjusted until the two measurements are the same. You are now ready to anchor your
foundation to the ground (If you are using earth anchors Click Here for directions).

Now that you have finished building a foundation for your new greenhouse, it is time to put
in the floor and secure the greenhouse structure to the base.

We used gravel to complete our

greenhouse floor. There are many
options to choose from for your
greenhouse floor, but we recommend
sand or small gravel because they have
good drainage. In the picture to the left,
there is about 2 to 3 inches of gravel in
the base (you should use enough to completely cover the ground cover under it).

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Now it is time to secure your greenhouse to the foundation

base. We recommend using 2" galvanized lag screws and
washers for this job. Drill a small hole in the aluminum ridge at
the bottom of the greenhouse frame to start the lag screw in (it
is recommended that you insert one screw for each panel in
your greenhouse). After you have drilled all of the necessary
holes, place a washer over each hole and secure the screws into
the greenhouse base as shown in the picture to the right (view
is from outside of greenhouse). For added insulation, you can
caulk the bottom of the aluminum ridge where it meets the the
base with sealant. This will help seal the greenhouse to the
base keeping cold air from entering and warm air from escaping in the winter. That's it! Your
greenhouse is now ready to provide you with many years of enjoyment.

Concrete Foundation

- Concrete Slab Foundation -

A concrete slab makes a convenient base for a greenhouse. For an attached structure, the
finish floor is generally placed level with or one or two steps below the house floor. For a
freestanding greenhouse, the floor should be several inches above the finish outside grade. It
is recommended when preparing the concrete foundation that the size be made 1" longer and
wider than the greenhouse outside dimensions. A 3 inch thick floor is adequate for home
greenhouses. The outside edges should be thicker to give support and resist cracking from
frost. A drain should be placed in the center of the greenhouse slab that drains into a gravel
pit or into a pipe leading to a drainage area outside the perimeter of the greenhouse. At least 4
inches of compacted gravel or stone should be placed on top of the subsoil to provide
drainage. Also, placing a 6 mil polyethylene moisture barrier on top of the gravel or stone
will keep the slab dry.

Build a form out of lumber around the perimeter. The top of the form should be at the finish
floor height. Reinforcing wire or fiber should be added to increase the strength of the slab.
Once the concrete has set (usually about 24 hours), the forms can be removed. Insulation
board 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick can be installed vertically around the outside of the foundation

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to a depth of 1 to 2 feet. This insulates the floor and helps keep it warmer in the winter. One
recommended option whether you use a slab or wall is to fasten a 2" x 4" sill on the top of the
foundation. The sill acts as a insulated buffer between the concrete and the greenhouse frame
reducing heat loss. Recommended materials for sills include naturally resistant woods, such
as cedar, redwood, or cypress and plastic composite lumber. The greenhouse base can be
attached using concrete anchor bolts which are available at most home centers and hardware
stores. Set bolts within 1 ft. of each corner, then space additional anchor bolts about 4 ft.
apart.

- Concrete Wall Foundation -

With this foundation, the concrete wall is set on a footing below the frost line. This type of
foundation gives good support for heavier structures like greenhouses glazed with glass. To
build the wall, first dig a trench in the soil to below the frost line and place forms for the
footing. Check with the local building inspector to determine what this depth is and to see if
an inspection is required before the footing is poured. The footing is usually twice as wide as
the wall and equally as thick.

After the footing hardens, place the wall forms on top to pour the walls. The wall height
should be a minimum of 6 inches above grade. At this point, you should install drains around
the perimeter to drain water away from the site. You can finish the outside wall several ways.
You can leave it plain, paint it, or face it with brick or stone. To reduce heat loss, attach an
inch or two of insulation board to the inside or outside surface. Now you are ready to backfill
soil against the foundation and grade. One recommended option whether you use a slab or
wall is to fasten a 2" x 4" sill on the top of the foundation. The sill acts as a insulated buffer
between the concrete and the greenhouse frame reducing heat loss. Recommended materials
for sills include naturally resistant woods, such as cedar, redwood, or cypress and plastic
composite lumber. The greenhouse base can be attached using concrete anchor bolts which
are available at most home centers and hardware stores. Set bolts within 1 ft. of each corner,
then space additional anchor bolts about 4 ft. apart.

Juliana Greenhouses | Sundog Greenhouses | Cross Country Greenhouses

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Copyright 1998-2007 Aarons Creek Farms, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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